ChiefPrivacyOfficer
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The US' first privacy-focused technology officer has left after one year
The White House gave hope to critics of US government surveillance when it nominated a privacy-minded Deputy CTO last year, but it appears that those privacy reform efforts just hit a snag. Nicole Wong has left the position after a little over a year. Neither Wong nor the Office of Science and Technology Policy have explained the departure, although the former official will be returning to her family in California. We've reached out for more details, including the prospects for a replacement.
White House taps former Twitter lawyer as first Chief Privacy Officer
Two months after appointing Todd Park as Chief Technology Officer, the White House has picked Nicole Wong for the newly created position of Chief Privacy Officer. Details about the job are still MIA, but she'll likely be working closely with Park. One thing's for sure, though: Wong brings some serious Silicon Valley cred to the table, having worked on product copyright and privacy issues at Google for eight years and, more recently, serving as Twitter's legal director. If you recall, the EFF gave that social network high marks when it released its annual report last week -- an auspicious sign if we've ever seen one.
Facebook launches Ask Our Chief Privacy Officer, says knowing is half the battle
There's no denying that Facebook's voting system for privacy policies is flawed -- when halting any measure requires enough votes to populate a large country, the attempt at democracy is more of a token gesture. As proposed, the company has launched an Ask Our Chief Privacy Officer page that's a tad more engaging. Fill out a short form and CPO Erin Egan just might offer a direct answer as to why Facebook chose a given privacy path, and possibly tackle any outstanding concerns head-on. Those curious users whose questions are picked will have to wait for a monthly public response to get their answers, so don't consider the page a personal hotline. It might, however, help make better sense of a company whose attitude towards our information is in constant flux.
Carrier IQ hires former Verizon privacy counsel Magnolia Mobley as Chief Privacy Officer
It's been several months since Carrier IQ explained its data collection practices and responded to FCC and Senatorial inquiry about its privacy policies. Despite the fact that it's no longer in the headlines, Carrier IQ's still intent on improving how it handles consumer info. That's why the firm has hired Magnolia Mobley away from Verizon (who eschewed Carrier IQ's services in favor of its own Remote Diagnostics tool), where she was Big Red's Chief Privacy Counsel. Ms. Mobely will be Carrier IQ's General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer and she's expected to help the company focus on preserving consumer privacy. You can read up on her credentials further in the PR after the break.
